Sorry, You're Not on the List

The Washington Historical Society building, awash in MSNBC logos Friday night. (Marissa Newhall/The Washington Post)

One in an occasional series of dispatches from parties you should have crashed.

Event: MSNBC's after-party following Friday's Radio and Television Correspondents' Association Dinner.

Inside the MSNBC party. (Marissa Newhall/The Washington Post)

Site: Historical Society of Washington, D.C.

Draw: Is the recession over? Our colleague Marissa Newhall noted a 2007-era level of amenities -- huge spread (mini-grilled cheese, chocolate fountain, milkshakes), DJ, open bar with elaborate cocktails, fancy lightscaping, Starbucks.

Gimmick: Guests gained entrance with MSNBC keychains they had to display to each of the three layers of clipboard people (who probably tired of the "key party" jokes).

Cool kids: Those sexy beasts, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski (short red dress, jeweled collar), mobbed as soon as they walked in. Similarly, dinner entertainer John "I'm a PC" Hodgman. Too crowded to see Rachel Maddow briefly tending bar, but other folks Twittered about it.